3M announced its 59th year of dividend growth this week.
Photo: Flickr.com/Dean Hochman

Another seven dividend growth companies announced their annual dividend hikes this week, with Dividend Aristocrats 3M and Air Products & Chemicals each rewarding investors with 16% increases.  I’m expecting at least another six companies to announce their annual increases next week.  Read on for the details.

Dividend Increases Announced This Week

Air Products & Chemicals (APD)

Industry: Specialty Chemicals

Dividend Payment: $1.10 per share – up 15.8% from prior level of 95 cents

Dividend Paid On: 5/14

Stock Goes Ex-Dividend (own the stock before this date to collect the dividend): 3/30

Number of Years of Dividend Increases: 36

Current Forward Yield: 2.59%

 

Commerce Bancshares (CBSH)

Industry: Regional Banking

Dividend Payment: 23.5 cents per share – up 9.7% from prior level of 21.4 cents*

Dividend Paid On: 3/26

Stock Goes Ex-Dividend (own the stock before this date to collect the dividend): 3/8

Number of Years of Dividend Increases: 50

Current Forward Yield: 1.59%

*The 21.4 cent quarterly dividend has been adjusted for Commerce Bancshares’ 5% stock dividend announced in December 2017.

 

Cincinnati Financial Company (CINF)

Industry: Financial – Insurance

Dividend Payment: 53 cents per share – up 6.0% from prior level of 50 cents

Dividend Paid On: 4/16

Stock Goes Ex-Dividend (own the stock before this date to collect the dividend): 3/20

Number of Years of Dividend Increases: 57

Current Forward Yield: 2.74%

 

J. B. Hunt Transport (JBHT)

Industry: Business Services – Transport

Dividend Payment: 24 cents per share – up 4.3% from prior level of 23 cents

Dividend Paid On: 2/23

Stock Goes Ex-Dividend (own the stock before this date to collect the dividend): 2/8

Number of Years of Dividend Increases: 15

Current Forward Yield: 0.77%

 

Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB)

Industry: Consumer Goods

Dividend Payment: $1.00 per share – up 3.1% from prior level of 97 cents

Dividend Paid On: 4/3

Stock Goes Ex-Dividend (own the stock before this date to collect the dividend): 3/8

Number of Years of Dividend Increases: 46

Current Forward Yield: 3.27%

 

3M (MMM)

Industry: Industrial Goods

Dividend Payment: $1.36 per share – up 15.7% from prior level of $1.175

Dividend Paid On: 3/12

Stock Goes Ex-Dividend (own the stock before this date to collect the dividend): 2/15

Number of Years of Dividend Increases: 59

Current Forward Yield: 2.10%

 

Praxair (PX)

Industry: Chemicals – Diversified

Dividend Payment: 82.5 cents per share – up 4.8% from prior level of 78.75 cents

Dividend Paid On: 3/15

Stock Goes Ex-Dividend (own the stock before this date to collect the dividend): 3/6

Number of Years of Dividend Increases: 26

Current Forward Yield: 1.99%

 

Dividend Increase Announcements Expected Next Week

Black Hills Corporation (BKH)

Church & Dwight Company (CHD)

California Water Service Group (CWT)

Polaris Industries (PII)

SJW Corporation (SJW)

S&P Global, Inc. (SPGI)